It’s not every day that a student walking through campus stumbles upon a blast from the past—but that’s exactly what happened to Yasmin Sahal, a George Mason University transfer student in the Elementary Education Program.
Last fall, as Yasmin was making her way through Thompson Hall, something caught her eye. On the wall, staring back at her, was a photo of her sixth-grade self. In a twist of fate, this snapshot of Yasmin’s childhood was displayed in the very same hall where she now studies to become the teacher she once admired.
Yasmin recalls being surprised when she found the photo of her younger self, taken in her sixth grade math class at Graham Road Elementary School while working with a George Mason student teacher.
“I had this strange feeling like I was looking at myself, but I couldn’t believe it when I realized I actually was,” Yasmin recalls. “I immediately sent a photo to my mom, and we both laughed and remembered signing a form to have a photographer come to our class. Now it’s a fun fact I share —what a full-circle moment!”
At the time, Yasmin had no idea she would one day be following in the footsteps of the George Mason student teacher who helped her with math. But looking back, she sees how those early interactions with her teachers influenced her decision to pursue teaching.
Yasmin recalls her George Mason student teacher’s positivity. “She always made me feel like she cared,” Yasmin says. “She’d tell me not to give up and to keep trying—those words stayed with me.”
Now, as a student at George Mason herself, Yasmin can appreciate the importance of those moments even more. They helped her realize the power of encouragement and support in the classroom, values she is eager to carry forward in her own teaching. “I chose the Elementary Education Program because I want students to feel heard, seen, and cared for,” she says. It’s about nurturing an environment where every child “can thrive, ask questions, and grow.”
Yasmin’s journey is more than just looking back at the past—it’s about actively shaping her future as an educator. As part of her program, she’s currently student-teaching once a week in a fourth-grade classroom. This hands-on experience has been invaluable, allowing her to apply her coursework in real-world settings and develop her teaching style. “Student teaching has reinforced my passion and my commitment to helping students grow academically and personally.”
From sixth-grade student to future educator, Yasmin’s story is a testament to how our experiences as students shape who we become.
The photo she found on campus isn’t just a coincidence—it is a powerful reminder that Yasmin’s educational journey has always been connected to George Mason and the path she’s chosen as a teacher.
